You play one of four teenagers shrunk to the size of an insect in Grounded, a survival game from Obsidian Entertainment that's out on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. They wake up in a backyard with no memory of how they got there. Everyday bugs like spiders and ants now tower over you, so a yard you know well suddenly feels dangerous.
A typical session starts with gathering, since nothing gets made without materials like grass and sap. You turn those materials into tools, weapons, and traps, because better gear is what lets you fight back against bugs. Next you build a base, which is where you store supplies between trips. You also have to keep eating and drinking, since hunger and thirst drain your health.
Your long-term goal is the story. The memory chips of a scientist's robot assistant are scattered across the yard, and each chip you recover brings back new recipes and some of your own memories as you work toward returning to normal size. You can play alone or with up to three friends online, which makes the tougher bugs easier to handle.
- Developer
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher
- Xbox Game Studios
- Release
- Early Access (PC and Xbox One): 2020-07-28 · Full release (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S): 2022-09-27 · PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch: 2024-04-16
- Platforms
- Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
Game data
Weapons and Tools
Weapons and tools in Grounded cover melee, ranged, explosive, shield, light, repair, underwater and miscellaneous gear, plus a set of Infused weapons that appear in New Game+. Most items unlock by analyzing materials at the Resource Analyzer or by reaching a Brainpower level, and some are bought from the ASL terminal. Weapons and tools wear down with use, so repairs and upgrades matter as much as finding the right gear.
Armor
Armor in Grounded is worn gear that reduces the damage you take, sorted into light, medium and heavy weight classes. Most armor comes as a set of head, body and leg pieces, and wearing all three unlocks a bonus, while single pieces add effects like longer underwater breath or gas immunity. Pets can also wear their own attire, which is dressed at the Pet House.
Creatures
Creatures are the bugs, spiders and critters that roam Grounded's backyard, and they're what you fight, avoid and harvest for parts. Most fall into Harmless, Neutral or Angry groups based on how they treat you, while bosses, Dimensional Anomalies and O.R.C. variants are special cases. Creature cards record each creature's tier, weaknesses, loot and how many times you've killed it.
Trinkets
Trinkets are passive accessories, and you can wear only one at a time in your accessory slot. They come from workbench crafting, rare drops from creatures and resource nodes, Ominent Badges found on skeletons across the backyard, and unique finds tied to specific places. Most carry a trade-off, so the best pick depends on how you play.
Smoothies
Smoothies are drinks you make at the Smoothie Station in the original Grounded. Most of them heal you right away and add a temporary boost, such as more maximum health, faster stamina recovery or better swimming. Every smoothie follows a fixed recipe, and the base you choose decides whether you get the normal, beefy or sticky version.
Grounded Controls
| Action | Desktop | Console |
|---|---|---|
| Open the PEEP.R | X | Y (Xbox), Triangle (PlayStation) |
| Scan a creature card | E | RB (Xbox), R1 (PlayStation) |
Grounded gameplay tips
- Build a base before you roam far. Roaming without one invites attacks from spiders and other predators, and a base keeps your supplies in one place.
- Stay close to your base after dark. Many of the predators are nocturnal, and wolf spiders hunt in the dark.
- Craft a shield early and use block in fights. Bugs are much bigger than you, and a shield lets you absorb their attacks instead of taking them full on.
- Build a Workbench early. It unlocks more tools and weapons, which makes it one of the first things worth building.
- Analyze the items you find at the Resource Analyzer. Each analysis can unlock new recipes and earns Raw Science, which you spend on blueprints and abilities at BURG.L's Tech Chip Science Shop.
- Smash Milk Molars with a Tier II hammer. A Tier II or better hammer, such as the Insect Hammer, opens them. Each regular Milk Molar gives you a point to spend on upgrades like max health and max stamina, while Mega Milk Molars upgrade everyone in your world.